FMS 1400mm J-3 Cub V3
All the attributes of the classic in a convenient, attractive, and fun-flying model
If any civilian light aircraft deserves the title of “legend,” surely it’s the Piper J-3 Cub. Cubs conjure up images of aerial adventures in the rugged backwoods, on serene lakes, and in remote places. The tube-and-fabric construction is simple yet durable, as are the mechanical systems. The plane is affordable and easy to fly once tail-dragger takeoffs and landings are mastered. For these reasons, the Cub is a favorite for flight training and personal use as well as a multitude of other missions, including military applications requiring its unique capabilities.
The FMS J-3 Cub V3 is the latest Cub offered by FMS. Based on its successful previous versions, the V3 loses its traditional Cub Yellow scheme in favor of an attractive whiteand-red scheme. Another nice feature is the polished-metal spinner nut, which adds a nice touch. The receiver-ready plane is constructed out of durable EPO foam and requires only a radio and receiver, charger, and 2200mAh 3-cell LiPo for completion. The box contains the fuselage, wings, stabilizer/ rudder, vertical fin/rudder, joiner tube, wing struts, scale antenna, landing gear, prop, spinner, instruction manual, and hardware. Overall, there aren’t that many parts for a plane with so many scale features.
For fans of flying off the water (of which I am one), an optional float set is available. I opted for the floats, which also includes the necessary wire float struts and hardware. Intermediate and advanced pilots will be delighted with the J-3’s easy handling and great looks.
UNIQUE FEATURES
I was immediately impressed by the level of detail and scale features. The EPO foam is molded to give the effect of fabric covering and has a nicely painted trim scheme, with graphics already applied. Some of the scale features include a detailed dummy engine, gas caps, flying wires on the tail, and a nicely painted pilot figure that is already installed. (A minor point: Cubs are always flown solo from the rear seat for center of gravity reasons.) The main gear has plastic struts and fairings and that duplicates the full-size plane. A functional set of springs
are used on the gear to absorb takeoff and landing loads.
The instruction manual consists mainly of illustrated steps, resulting in a simple and straightforward assembly. The wings are factory assembled and hinged, with the servos (one per wing) and linkages installed. The fuselage assembly consists of mounting the stabilizer/elevator to the fuselage with screws and then sliding the fin/rudder/ tailwheel assembly into place and fastening it with screws. The landing gear and fuselage attachment of the wing strut is accomplished with screws and results in an articulating landing gear. To mate the wings to the fuselage, each wing half is slid onto the joiner and held in place with two screws on the underside of each wing panel. With the screws on the underside of the wing, the top of the plane remains clean. It took some head-scratching on my part to figure out the correct orientation of the wing-strut supports as it was not obvious in the main instruction manual. I later discovered that an addendum to the manual was tucked inside the instruction manual, clearly showing how the supports should be positioned. I found that in my particular Cub, the wing struts’ fit was extremely tight on the wing fitting, and I feared breaking the wing. On the plus side, I managed to get them on, and they should stay put.
There are two hatches on the underside of the fuselage. The rear radio compartment has ample room for the receiver. All the leads from the preinstalled servos are marked and in place, ready to be connected to your receiver. The foam hatch is held in place by magnets. The forward battery compartment is just the right size for 2200mAh battery packs, and is accessed via a robust plastic hatch. I usually use hook-and-loop fastener to secure the flight battery, but I felt safe not using it due to the fit of the battery and the strong hatch.
IN THE AIR
Before heading to the field, I checked the center of gravity and found that I needed to add half an ounce to the tail to put the plane in the middle of the recommended range. I also set up the controls as recommended in the manual. I like the fact that I can easily transport and store the Cub fully assembled—more time for flying! Cubs generally prefer grass fields, which I usually fly from, and I found no issues with taxiing and ground operations. The installed 850Kv motor and 40A speed control proved to be a good combination for the J-3, providing an abundance of power. Takeoff was short, requiring only the typical rudder corrections inherent in tail-draggers. Although not very scalelike, full-power climbout can be dramatic if you so choose. Against a deepblue sky, the attractive colors of the FMS Cub give it a great presence in the air. When the timer goes off and it is time to land, the plane can be slowed and landed like a trainer.
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: The high-wing Cub is inherently stable, and with the control throws set to low rates, it makes great second airplane. I did not use any form of stabilization, and it is not required unless you regularly fly in windy conditions.
Tracking: In light winds, the Cub has surprisingly good tracking. Even with its light wing loading, it easily handles moderate winds.
Aerobatics: While not designed to be an aerobat, the J-3 is very agile. Loops, rolls, and even inverted flight are well within its capabilities. I think large, graceful maneuvers look the most realistic and scalelike.
Glide and stall performance: The Cub is not equipped with flaps, but it slows down quite nicely and can be flown very slowly. If you get carried away and fly too slowly, a bit of forward elevator will get you out of trouble quickly.
PILOT DEBRIEFING
The J-3 Cub has a wide speed envelope and is a joy to fly. FMS has done another great job in offering the reasonably priced yet feature-ladened design to the RC modeler. The Cub’s powerful brushless power system and light wing loading provide the power for it to perform like a capable sport plane. Don’t forget, however, to throw in the occasional low and slow pass and a few touch-and-gos. After all, that’s what Cubs are all about!